


It's a Long Way Down From Here

by ThunderDownOnGreenside



Category: Free!
Genre: Attraction, Boys Kissing, Crying, Dorks in Love, Drabble Collection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexual Tension, SouMako - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-12 12:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2110455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThunderDownOnGreenside/pseuds/ThunderDownOnGreenside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Especially when you’re both tall people and one of you is shy and the other is too busy being a sassy tough dude to get the picture. Or maybe you get the picture better than you’re letting on. Either way, you’re pretty cute together.</p><p>(A series of shorter, unrelated SouMako drabbles, mostly from tumblr)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One Hand Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a start, at least.

 

This is probably one of the weirdest things that has ever happened to him, and his best friend is Rin Matsuoka so that’s saying a LOT.

 

Practice at Samezuka is something that he’s become accustomed to, as has practicing with Iwatobi, and while it may not be his most favorite thing in the world, it’s certainly something he can endure. He’s gotten used to the oddities of his teammates and even most of the others as well, but this. This isn’t so much a personal oddity as it is a situational one.

 

“Ah, Yamazaki-san! Would you like me to help you?”

 

Sousuke blinks slowly up at Iwatobi’s captain, half-submerged in the water as he takes in the sight of the other’s friendly expression and outstretched hand. He’s not very familiar with Tachibana, but he knows enough to realize that this definitely breaks tradition, among other things. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Nanase watching him from a few lanes away and smirks a little.

 

“Sure, Tachibana.” He affirms, amiably enough, and takes the proffered hand.

 

Despite the surprising softness of Tachibana’s hand, there’s a certain kind of strength in his grip that Sousuke appreciates, and he feels the power in his entire body as the other pulls him up out of the pool. The touch is electric too, a tingle that races down his arm and flutters in his heartbeat even as his feet touch the pool deck. Closer now, he can get a better look for once...strong shoulders, toned stomach...his eyes trail down the smooth line of Tachibana’s throat before darting back up to his startlingly flushed face.

 

“Yamazaki-san...are you alright?”

 

It’s at that point that Sousuke realizes that he’s still holding onto the other’s hand and is, for that matter, _way_ too far into Tachibana’s personal space. What’s worse is that now they’ve _really_ attracted the attention of the others. The Iwatobi team is staring at them – Ryūgazaki looks terrified, for some reason – the Samezuka juniors are flat-out gaping, and Rin is...

 

Well, Rin is laughing. That little shit.

 


	2. A Question of Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And I'm your problem now?"
> 
> "Damn right you are."

 

Sousuke Yamazaki has a problem.

 

This problem is different from most of his other problems; this problem has a sweet face and gorgeous green eyes and a smile to die for. This problem also happens to have a killer body and doesn’t seem to realize it. In most ways, this problem is a lot better than most of the others, because at least this is nice to look at and even nicer to be with.

 

Sousuke Yamazaki has a problem and his name is Makoto Tachibana.

 

Rin knows about this problem, and he thinks it’s rather hilarious. He takes great joy in ribbing and teasing his friend about his crush – major attraction, desire, whatever it is at the end of the day – and sometimes, he likes to make it even worse. Rin is a fiendish, clever creature sometimes and it scares the hell out of Sousuke.

 

Makoto also knows about his problem, and while he isn’t a flirt, he drives Sousuke twice as crazy as Rin could ever hope to. For one, Makoto is just ridiculously sweet and doesn’t mean to do the things he does to Sousuke. He’s attractive without trying, seductive without working for it, beautiful in the simplest and most wonderful of ways. Sousuke has never seen anything like it, and he doubts that he ever will again.

 

For another thing, well...

 

_“You alright, Sousuke?”_

 

His voice is always so soft, always so gentle and it just gets to him like nothing else. It’s so unbelievably hard for him to control himself when Makoto is around and sometimes...

 

_“Ha. You know me better than that. Do you know what you do to me, Makoto Tachibana?”_

 

...Sometimes he swears that Makoto is not only aware that he’s his problem, he knows exactly why he’s his problem.

 

_“Hm. I might have an idea...it’s not...that bad, is it?”_

 

Oh, Makoto.

 

_“Bad? Not at all. You’re the best problem yet.”_

 

Sousuke Yamazaki has a problem.

 

_“And I’m your problem now?”_

 

His name is Makoto Tachibana.

 

_“Damn right you are.”_

 

And he wouldn’t change a damn thing about it.

 


	3. Waterfalls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing kills him more than when he finds him crying.

It’s a well-known fact that Makoto Tachibana is rather prone to tears. He isn’t a crybaby, so to speak, but he’s emotional and has no shame in letting his feelings out in whatever way comes easiest. He doesn’t yell, so that’s out of the question; he doesn’t get angry, so that’s even more implausible. Sometimes, the best way for him to open up when he’s distressed is simply to cry.

 

And Sousuke _hates_ it.

 

He’s used to Rin’s copious tears and passionate temper tantrums, has calmed more fits and quelled more furious rants than most people should have to deal with in a lifetime. (He already feels sorry for the poor bastard who gets stuck with Rin and hopes that whoever they are, they have the patience of a saint and the athleticism of an Olympic champion.)

 

But this is different. Rin is built to explode and built to last, designed specifically for high pressure and hot focus. Makoto isn’t made for any of that, not for the explosions or the pressure or the focus or even the long run, in some ways. He just crumbles so _easily_ , and Sousuke just can’t figure it out. He doesn’t let anyone else catch him, doesn’t even let anyone else know when he’s falling or when he’s gotten hurt. Those closest to him notice, but he even takes measures to keep them from being worried.

 

Luckily, through years of dealing with Rin and other insane athletes who never say what they mean, Sousuke’s bullshit filter is highly advanced and he has a very easy time discerning when Makoto isn’t feeling up to his usual self.

 

He can’t stop the crying though, and that’s something he’s always had a harder time with. What is he supposed to do when someone that he cares about is sobbing like that? For all his capabilities, for all his athleticism, for all of his training with Rin’s endless stream of pain and self-doubt, when it’s simply tears, he’s useless. When Rin wasn’t angry and wasn’t frustrated and he was just sad and lonely and tired, Sousuke had hardly been able to do anything at all, but he tried, _gods_ did he try.

 

He tries with Makoto too. It doesn’t make things any easier when he finds him like this, though, alone and drawn into himself and letting out these absolutely broken-hearted sounds that practically stab Sousuke in the chest with the amount of emotion behind them. Makoto never does things by halves; it’s only natural to assume that his emotions are the same.

 

There’s no assuming here. Sousuke goes to him and pulls him close and the other clings to his shirt with trembling fingers, crying into his shoulder as though there’s absolutely nothing left but he and the other and this waterfall between them.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I fell in love with this ship overnight, mostly through a certain fic by AO3 user Quente (many thanks XD) and when inspiration strikes, it...strikes hard, haha! This little drabble miniseries will most definitely spawn greater things, so keep your fingers crossed and let's all hang on for the ride! :D


End file.
